Article winding and tape applying apparatus



Nov. 24, 1970 A. MATEsKl 3,541,756

ARTICLE WINDING AND TAPE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29. 1968 y 4 sheets-sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

I0 f -O r-122 92 ANTON MATESK/ l ATTORNEY NOV. 24,1970 A, MATEsKl 3,541,756

ARTICLE WINDING AND TAPE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 29, 1968 4 Sheets-*Sheet 2 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO u INVENTOR. \|2 l ANTON MATESK/ ATTORNEY NV. 24, 1970 A, MATESK| ,541,756

ARTICLE WINDING AND TAPE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Nav. 29, 1968 4 sheets-sheet s mvENToR. ANTON MATESK/ ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1970 A. MATESKI 3,541,756

I ARTICLE WINDING AND TAPE APPLYING APPARATUS v Filed Nov. 29, 196e 4 sheets-sheet 4 IN VENTOR.

ANTON MATESKI ATTORNEY United States Patent @ffice 3,541,756 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 ARTICLE WINDING AND TAPE APPLYING APPARATUS Anton Mateski, 4675 E. 6th Ave., Denver, Colo. 80220 Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 780,044

Int. Cl. B65b 63/06, 13/32 U.S. Cl. 53-116 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible elongated element is wound into a succession of loops of predetermined length and secured together by heat-sealing a tape about a medial portion of the loops in an automatic sequence of operations which is fully coordinated throughout each cycle of operation. The ilexible element is drawn from a feed roll and wound at a high. rate of speed without tension over a pair of spaced holders on each of a series of continuously advancing tables so as to form an uninterrupted series of loops of the element. Simultaneously, lengths of heat-scalable tape are drawn along the advancing tables above and below each succession of loops, the tapes being sealed together between and on opposite sides of each of the loops, followed by severing and stripping the completed package from each table.

This invention relates to a novel and improved method and means for packaging articles, and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for winding flexible lengths of material, such as, thin-walled plastic tubing, iish lines and the like, into a series of loops and thereafter banding or otherwise securing the loops together with heat-sealable tape in a completely automated, continuous cycle of operation.

The Winding and binding of exible lengths of material customarily involves the steps of advancing the material from a supply source, wrapping or otherwise looping it about spaced holders and thereafter applying a tape or other band in some manner to the loops, then severing the loops as Well as the tape and removing from the holders. In the past however automated systems for accomplishing the above have been quite complicated usually requiring one or more interruptions and necessitating some manual assistance. A particular diiculty of systems presently in use is the introduction of tension into the material as it is wrapped or wound about the spaced support members or holders, and for this reason such systems have been largely impractical in handling relatively low strength material, such as, thin-walled plastic tubing. It is therefore desirable to provide for substantially tensionfree, high-speed winding of liexible lengths of material into a succession of loops from a continuous feed roll and to securely bind each succession of loops together without interruption in a fully automated sequence of operations. In this connection it is highly desirable that the tape binding operation be carried out with the tube winding operation along a common path of travel simultaneously at a synchronized rate of speed thereby greatly reducing the number of steps required to complete each package as well as avoiding stoppage or handling of the material and to the extent that the machine can be left completely unattended for continuous progression through each complete cycle of operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved method and means for winding flexible elongated materials into loops of predetermined lengths while binding the loops in a continuous automated sequence of steps.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for winding flexible elongated elements into a series of loops and for binding each series of loops together wherein the apparatus is economically constructed to occupy a minimum of space and which requires the least number of steps in a relatively high-speed, fully automated operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a compact, high-speed, automatic tube winding apparatus in which a flexible thin-Walled tube may be continuously fed and formed into a succession of loops in a tension-free, high-speed winding operation.

It is another object to provide in apparatus of the type described for closely controlled, automated application and binding of tape to opposite sides of a succession of loops of elongated flexible material followed -by severing, stripping and collecting each completed package.

The present invention may be best exemplified by its use in forming and binding loops of flexible thin-walled tubing, although its conformability to other materials, such as, lish lines, will become readily appreciated as the description proceeds. The exible tubing is fed from a supply roll through a rotary feed member which is spaced in front of a series of continuously advancing tables driven through a vertical path of travel and which each table is provided with spaced, forwardly projecting holders. The rotary feed member has a journaled outlet portion extending normal to the main material guide passage which is rotated independently of the feed member so as to follow a generally circular path of movement about the material holders. In this Way, the material can be drawn at high speeds through the feed member and applied to the material holders substantially free of any tension or stretching of the material.

Each table is indexed in correlation with rotation of the feed member to receive a predetermined number of loops of flexible tubing while a first sealing tape is advanced vertically along the guide path and beneath the medial portion of the loops being formed. Upon formation of the desired number of loops the table is indexed to a next station where a second tape is brought into proximity in front of the loops and into alignment with the first tape with the scalable surfaces on the tape in facing relation to one another. As the tapes and loops are advanced the tapes are sealed together between, above and below the formed loops, then in succession the loop ends and tape are severed, stripped and removed from each station for collection beneath the guide path. These operations are fully coordinated so that a series of stations are advanced in closely spaced relation to one another along the vertical guide path and the steps of winding, application of tape, sealing, severing, and stripping can be simultaneously performed at each individual station.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a detailed description of a preferred method and apparatus of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred form of article winding and tape applying apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred form of apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view enlarged and partially in section of the table train section of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of an article winding and tape applying section of the apparatus and illustrating the steps followed in arriving at the completed article.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view in section of a rotary feed member.

FIG. 6 is a top view partially in section of the stripper unit of the preferred form of apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a side View, partially in section and enlarged, of the heat sealer and cutter assembly of the preferred form of apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a sectional View taken about line 8 8 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a completed article formed by the preferred method of apparatus of the present invention,

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustrative example in FIG. 9 a completed article A prepared by the preferred form of apparatus 10, and the article is seen to comprise a succession of loops L of predetermined number and overall length, the loops being bound together with strips of tape T1 and T2 sealed between and on opposite sides of the medial portion of the loops. Specifically, the material of which the loops are composed is a thin-walled, highly flexible plastic tubing, commonly referred to as a helperin line used in surgical work, where it is highly important that the line be of exact length and be handled in such a way as to avoid crimping, kinking or stretching. The tape strips T1 and T2 conventionally may be a heat sealing tape having a thin layer of a thermoplastic substance on one side whereby the tape may be sealed by heating and applying pressure to a portion of the tape in order to adhesively secure it to an adjacent layer of tape. At the outset it should be understood that the helperin material as well as the tape is commercially available and apart from the method of handling set forth herein, does not constitute a part of the present invention.

As a preliminary to a detailed description of the construction and arrangement of elements comprising the present invention, FIG. 4 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically the interrelationship between parts and elements in carrying out the article winding and tape applying operation. A series of tables 12 is arranged and mounted for advancement along a vertical guide path, each table being successively advanced to a plurality of stations along the guide path in performing each step of the packaging operation. It will be seen that each table broadly comprises a base plate 13 and a pair of spaced, forwardly projecting holders 14 mounted on the base plate 13 together with a shiftable stripper plate 15 which is loosely seated on the base plate and is movable forwardly along the posts.

As each table or platform 12 is advanced to the first station, designated station I at the uppermost position along the guide path, a heat scalable tape T1 is fed downwardly in a continuous length over the shiftable plate member 15 and between the holders 14 with its adhesive surface exposed. It will be noted that the tape T1 extends continuously in a downward direction for the full length of the guide path.

Each table is then indexed to station II with the holders 14 aligned in position behind a rotary feed member 18. The feed member 18 is provided with outlet portion 19 which is rotated by a rotary drive mechanism 20 to wind or wrap a continuous length of helperin tubing in a succession of loops L about the spaced holders 14. By an indexing mechanism to be described, the table is left in position at station II for a selected number of revolutions of the rotary feed member in order to receive a predetermined number of loops before the table is advanced to station III. At this stage of the operation it will be noted that the tubing is not severed as each table is advanced from the rotary feed member to the next station.

At station III, a continuous length of tape T2 is passed horizontally into alignment between the spaced holders 14 in front of the loops and with its adhesive surface in facing relation to that of the tape T1. At station IV the tape T2 is brought into contact with the loops L and in closely aligned relation to the tape T1. At station V, a heat sealer and cutter assembly 22 is correlated with advancement of each table along the guide path to successively perform the heat sealing and cutting operation. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the heat sealer includes vertically spaced pressure feet 23 which by rearward advancement toward each table are brought into engagement with the outer tape T2 thereby forcing the adhesive surface against that of the tape T1 together and sealing them under combined heat and pressure above, between and beneath the loop portions and intermediately of the ends of the loops wound about the holders 14. A cutter blade 24 disposed beneath the pressure feet is actuated and advanced through the space between tables so as to sever the lower ends of the tape and loop.

When the ta-ble is moved into position at station VI a stripper assembly 26 is shifted forwardly to engage each stripper plate 15 and drive it to the ends of the holders to remove the severed tape and loops from the table. The stripper assembly is coordinated with movement of the heat sealer and cutter assembly 22 so that the upper ends of the tape and loop are severed by the cutter blade 24 before the stripper plate is advanced across the holders. For the reason that the tables are arranged for advancement along a vertical path the stripped article will then fall by gravity into a suitable collecting bin 28 located beneath the guide path. At station VII the stripper plate 15 will have cleared the stripper assembly and returned to its initial position against the base plate for return through a generally oval path -back to the upper most station I.

Considering in more detail the construction and arrangement of the preferred form of apparatus, as shown in FIGS. l to 3, an upright frame 30 has an upper supporting plate 31 with a downward extension 32 for a table train assembly 34 which carries the tables 12 through the Vertical guide path described. The assembly 34 includes an upper drive sprocket 35 mounted on drive shaft 36 which is supported by bearings 38 mounted on the main support plate 31. A chain 39 is trained over the drive sprocket and at its lower end is trained over a driven sprocket 40 with a continuous or endless series of tables 12 clamped at equally spaced intervals to the chain. Clamping of each table 12 is best seen from FIG. 6 wherein it will be noted that the stationary base plate 13 is provided with brackets 42 extending rearwardly in laterally spaced relation to one another for connection to opposite sides of a chain link so as not to interfere with driving engagement of the chain by the sprocket members. In addition there is a support plate 13 which is positioned between the base plate 13 and strippers plate 15 for mounting of the spaced holders 14. Each of the plates 13, 13', and 15 is of generally rectangular configuration, thestripper plate 15 being enlarged to permit engagement -by the stripper assembly in a manner to be described. The plates 13, 13 and 15 are also provided with aligned bores on either side for insertion and forward extension of plunger rods 44, the plunger rods each being biased to a rearward position urging the stripper plates 13 against the support plates 13 by tension springs 45.

Referring once/again to FIGS. 1 to 3, a pair of vertically extending support plates 47 are spaced in front of the lower extension 32 and in spaced relation to one another by horizontally extending support members 48 in order to define rm backing members for advancement of the tables 12 along the vertical guide path. In this relation, the tables are constrained to follow on endless path of movement downwardly along the vertical guide path, beneath the driven sprocket 40, upwardly to pass directly in front of the lower extension 32 and to swing over the upper drive sprocket for continued movement along the vertical guide path.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the disposition of the rotary feed member relative to the downwardly advancing tabletrain assembly. The feed -member 18 includes a main tubular body 49 which denes a guide passage having an upper inlet 50` and the lower outlet portion 19. The outlet 19 is shown in detail in FIG. and consists of a support block 52 provided with a transverse bore for insertion of the outlet end of the body 49 which is slotted as at 54 to communicate with a bore 55 at the end of the support block. A nozzle insert 56 is placed in the bore 55 and has a curved end surface 57 to smoothly guide the tubing L outwardly from the feed member for passage around the holders on each table. In addition, the insert 56l is pro-vided with slot 58 in one side to permit insertion of a bearing 59 which is journaled on pin 60 in the side wall of the block 55 adjacent to the corner formed between the slotted side of the passage and the support block.

The forward end of the support block is provided with a forwardly extending shaft 62 which is mounted in bearings 63 at the free end of a rotary drive member 64. The drive member 64 takes the form of a solid rectangular arm which is mounted for rotation on a drive shaft i66 projecting rearwardly from the rotary drive mechanism 20. The rotary drive mechanism is spaced in front of but in facing relation to the vertical guide .d

path of the table train assemly by a .main support plate 67 attached to the outer ends of a pair of horizontal, spaced supporting rods 68 extending forwardly from the extension plate 32. Here, the drive mechanism consists of a conventional bevel gear mechanism located in hous ing 70 between drive shaft 21 and the shaft 66.

The upper inlet end 50 of the guide passage is inserted through a guide sleeve 72 which is journaled on a supporting post 74 projecting horizontally and forwardly from the upper support plate 31. The rotary feed member is free to slide axially of the sleeve 72 while causing the sleeve to rotate with the tubular portion 18 in response to rotation of the lower outlet portion 19 by the rotary drive mechanism 20. It will be seen that the nozzle 56 on the outlet 19 extends rearwardly past the holders 14 so as to terminate directly in front of the stripper plates 15; and, by attaching the leading end of the tubing L to the first table, the tubing will be drawn through the nozzle 57 and wound about the holders 14 as the outlet portion 19 is rotated by the rotary drive mechanism 20. A supply source for the tubing L is representative by a conical spool 76 mounted above the inlet end 50 with its reduced end facing forwardly so that the tubing L is merely stripped off the end in order to be drawn through the feed member 18.

The tape T1 is supplied from an upper feed roll 80 which is journaled on upwardly extending support brackets 81 positioned at the upper extremity of the sup port plate 31 and runs downwardly through a guide slot 78 and between a pair of leaf springs 79 and 79 which bear against opposite sides of the tape and guide it across station I. The tape T2 is applied from feed roll 82 journaled on support arms 83 projecting forwardly from a vertical support 84, the latter depending downwardly from a base plate 85 on the rotary drive mechanism 20. A roller 86 is journaled at the rearward extremity of a support bar 87 which is aixed to the undersurface of the vertical support 84, and the tape T2 is advanced across a roller 88 and through horizontal slot 89 and a second guide slot 90 in a spring-loaded support block 90 on the member 87 lfor travel over the roller 86 downwardly along the vertical guide path of the tables. Again, the guide elements for the tape T2 are aligned so that the tape is advanced downwardly between the holders 14 and directly over the loops and over the tape T1, while the roller 88 which is mounted on spring arm 92 facilitates release of the tape from its roll for free passage onto the table.

The heat sealer assembly 22, as previously described, includes vertically spaced pressure feet 23 which project rearwardly from a heated block 94, the latter being in communication with a source of heat 95 which is disposed at the upper end of a mounting bracket 96. Mounting bracket 96 in turn is affixed to a transverse supporting plate 98 which is slidably supported on a pair of guide rods 99 extending forwardly from the lower extension 32. 'In turn, the cutter blade 24 projects rearwardly from a holder 102 which, as shown in FIG. 7, is mounted for rearward extension from the bracket 96 directly beneath the pressure feet 23. A pressure arm or plunger 104 is axially slidable within the holder 102 and is provided with a coiled spring 105 in surrounding relation to the plunger within a channel portion 106 of the holder 102 so as to yieldingly urge the arm 104 to a normal position projecting slightly beyond the cutter blade 24.

In order to control movement of the heat sealer 22 and cutter 24 toward and away from each table, as best seen from FIG. 8, an air control cylinder 108 is mounted on the support plate 98 and has a forwardly extending piston 110 secured to a transverse bar 112 at the outer ends of the guide rods 99. As a result, when the control cylinder is actuated in a manner to be described the plate 98 is advanced rearwardly along the rods 99 causing the mounting bracket 96 and attached heat sealer assembly to be advanced rearwardly against the table positioned at station V. Initially the pressure arm 104 will engage the tape layers at the upper edge of the next lower table to hold the tape firmly in place as the cutter blade advances through the tape between the tables; and under continued rearward movement the ,pressure feet 23 will move into contact with the tape sections above, between and below the loop portions L of the material on the holders 14. The air control cylinder 108 is regulated to determine the time duration of the heat sealing step as well as the pressure applied to the tape during the heat sealing process.

Having further reference to FIGS. 3, 6 and 8, the stripper assembly 26 comprises a pair of side frames 120 interconnected by a transverse plate 121 and supported for rearward extension from upright stationary plates 122, the latter being mounted on the guide rods 99. The side frames are each provided with a stripper arm 124 which is pivotal as at 125 for forward extension in inner spaced relation to the respective frame 120, and each have inwardly directed shoulders 126 engageable with opposite sides of each stripper plate 15 as each successive table is advanced to station VI. As the heat sealer and cutter assembly 22 is advanced rearwardly against a table at station V the stripper arms 124 are slidably carried with the assembly 22 by horizontal plate 123 until the shoulder portions 126 are behind the stripper plate on the next lower table at station VI. The stripper arms 124 are biased inwardly toward one another by spring elements 127; and as the cutting and heat sealing operation is completed the air cylinder 108 will be advanced forwardly and will similarly carry the stripper assembly forwardly with the stripper arms 124 engaging opposite ends of the stripper plates 15 so as to urge it to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 6 thereby forcing the completed article off the holders to drop it into the collection bin 28. Thereafter, the tables are indexed downwardly with the table advancing from the station V to station VI passing vertically between the stripper arms and behind the shoulder portions 126. Again however when the heat sealer assembly is driven rearwardly, the stripper arms 124 will Ibe retracted to permit the shoulder portions to slide past the stripper plate as a preliminary to the next stripping operation. It will further be evident that as each table advances downwardly from station VI past the stripper assembly the spring-biased plunger rod 44 will cause the stripper plate to be retracted rearwardly against the base plate.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the tapes T1 and T2 are merely drawn from their supply rolls as the tables are indexed along the vertical guide path, and the rate of delivery of the tubing L through the rotary feed member is governed independently of the tapes by the rate of rotation of the drive mechanism 20. Accordingly it is necessary to correlate the rate of rotation of the feed member 18 with the indexing of the tables, and further to correlate movement of the heat sealer, cutter and stripper plate assemblies with the indexing movement of the tables. To this end, and as shown in FIGS. l and 2, a

motor drive 132 includes a drive shaft 133 into a speed reduction mechanism 134. Mechanism 134 is suitable comprised of a series of stepped pulleys 135 on the drive side and oppositely stepped pulleys 136 on the driven side with a power transmission belt 137 trained over selected pairs of the pulleys to establish the desired speed ratio between the motor drive shaft 133 and driven shaft 138. The driven shaft is supported by end bearings 140 mounted on the main support plate 31 of the frame, and a worm 142 intermeshes with a worm gear 143 on a vertical shaft 144, the latter being supported by spaced upper and lower bearings 146 also mounted on the support frame 31. A cam control plate 148 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis at the upper end of the shaft 144 and has sets of upper and lower cams 150 and 151, respectively, projecting radially outwardly from diametrically opposed locations on the plate 148 for the purpose of actuating upper and lower banks of air control valves 153 and 154 mounted on the support frame 31.

Another control plate 155 is axially slidable or shiftable with respect to the shaft 138 and is splined for rotation therewith. Plate 155 includes a Geneva wheel-engaging cam element 156 projecting laterally from a surface of the plate to selectively engage a Geneva wheel 160. Here the Geneva Wheel is provided with radially extending, intersecting channel portions 161 and 162 and, when the indexing plate is shifted to align the cam element with one of the channel portions 161 the cam will ride through the channel portions 161 and 162 to advance the Geneva wheel 90, after which the indexing plate will be retracted to its original disposition. Here the Geneva wheel is dimensioned such that rotation through 90 in a clockwise direction, when viewed from the left, will index each of the tables 12 downwardly one position or station along the vertical guide path. By controlling the axial shifting of the indexing plate 155 in correlation with rotation of the rotary drive mechanism, the tables can be indexed after a predetermined number of revolutions of the rotary feed member. In the preferred form, the shaft 138 supports a sprocket 168 for a chain 169 which is trained over a driven sprocket 170 on the end of input drive shaft 21 into the rotary drive mechanism 20.

In order to control axial shifting of the index plate 155 in correlation with rotation of the rotary drive mechanism, a pneumatic, double-acting cylinder 174 is mounted on support frame 31. The cylinder includes a piston 175 secured to a sleeve 176 which is splined to the end of the drive shaft 138 to permit slidable telescoping movement of the drive shaft 138 therethrough, and the index plate 155 is fixed to a hub member 177 which is journaled at the end of the sleeve 176. The upper air control valve 153 has pressure and return lines 179 and 180 leading to the control cylinder 174 to control the supply of air under pressure from an air pressure supply source, not shown, to opposite ends of the control cylinder 174. Thus when air under pressure is applied through line 179 the piston 175 will be forced outwardly through the cylinder to drive the indexing plate in a direction away from the cylinder and advance the element 156 into alignment with the cam-engaging channel portion 162 on the Geneva wheel 160. Conversely when air is applied under pressure through line 180 the piston will be retracted through the cylinder to withdraw the indexing plate 155 away from the Geneva wheel.

Movement of the indexing plate 155 is also synchronized with rotation of the rotary drive mechanism 20 by the cam plate 148. Assuming that it is desired to impart ten revolutions of the feed member 18 for applying the ten loops of -material to each table, the rate of rotation of the feed member with respect to the cam plate is established at a twenty-to-one ratio, since one of the cam elements 150 will make engagement with the control level 153 on the end of the valve every one-half revolution of the cam plate 148; and when the cam 150 engages the lever it will shift the valve spool to a position causing air under pressure to flow through pressure line 179 to drive the index plate into alignment with the Geneva wheel and to remain in that position for a time interval necessary to advance the Geneva wheel one-quarter revolution, or The control lever 153' is spring-loaded to return to a position shifting the valve to a position applying air under pressure through line 180 to the opposite end of the cylinder 174 causing retraction of the index plate 155 after the cam member has cleared the lever.

Movement of the heat sealer assembly 23 is synchronized in a similar manner with the rotary drive mechanism through the lower control valve 154 which has pressure and return lines 184 and 185 leading to the double-acting cylinder 110. In the preferred form the lower cam elements 151 are wider than the cams 150` so that the control cylinder is actuated, by uid pressure applied through line 184, in advance of the control cylinder 174 to lift or forwardly advance the heat sealer, cutter blade and stripper plate assembly approximately at the eighth revolution of the drive mechanism. This will cause the stripper plate assemblies to be driven forwardly to eject the finished article from the table at stations VI. The upper cam 150, trailing the lower cam, will actuate the control cylinder 174 at the beginning of the tenth revolution of the drive mechanism 20 to index or advance the tables one position after the heat sealer assembly is lifted or withdrawn from the guide path and the stripper plate on the table has advanced from the heat sealer 23 to a position behind the dogs 126 as previously described. When the lower cam element 151 has cleared the lower control lever 154', the valve is reversed to apply `fluid under pressure through line 185 causing rearward displacement of the heat sealer assembly 23 and the cutter 24 to perform the cutting operation and to hold the pressure feet against the tape over the next series of revolutions of the rotary feed member.

In practice, the first tape layer T1 is advanced from its supply roll downwarlly across the vertical guide path with its leading end extending past the table at station I. The plastic tubing L is stripped from its supply spool through the rotary feed member, over the bearing 59 and through the needle or nozzle at the outlet section 19. The leading end of the tubing is manually looped about the holders 14 on the table at station I, or otherwise suitably secured to the table. The outer tape layer T2 is passed through its guides over the tape T1 and between the holders. A machine is put into operation by opening the air pressure supply source and starting the motor 132 with the cam members and 151 initially positioned just past the control levers of the valves 153 and 154. As the motor rotates the drive shaft 138, the rotary drive mechanism 20 is driven off the chain drive 169 to cause rotation of the feed member about the holders 14 at station I and over the tape T1. The feed member 18 will follow a circular path around the holders at station I but well within the holders on the adjacent tables 12. Rotation of the feed member is continuous and is not interrupted during the indexing operation because of the close synchronization between the drive elements. If the speed ratio is selected to effect formation of ten loops or revolutions for each article, one of the cams 151 will have moved into engagement with the lower control valve ahead of the tenth revolution to actuate the air cylinder 110 thereby causing the stripper plates, knife and heat sealer assembly to be lifted from thev guide path. Continued rotation of the cam plate will cause the upper cam element 150 to engage the air valve 153 at the beginning of the tenth revolution in order to actuate the cylinder 174 and shift the index plate V155 into engagement within the wheel for indexing and advancement of the tables to the next station. The cam members 151 and 150, respectively, will successively clear the valve control levers so that the lower control cylinder 110 is reversed to advance the heat sealer assembly against the next table immediately following the indexing step. It should be pointed out that the table at station I actually will be under advancement by the Geneva wheel during the last half of the tenth revolution, or 180, of the rotary feed member, so that the feed member will have moved from beneath the table at station I to a position above the next table advanced into position at table I as the tenth revolution is completed. Under continuous rotation the rotary feed member will then pass around the holders on the next table in succession to start the next series of revolutions.

yIt will be observed that the rotary feed member is free to slide axially of the upper guide sleeve 72 as it is forced to follow the rotation of the rotary guide mechanism and, owing to the effective length of the rotary feed member between the upper guide sleeve 72 and the outlet section 19 its extent of rotational movement is relatively slight so as to minimize the danger of kinking or crimping of the thin-walled tubing. For this reason, the rotary feed member is readily conformable for application of various types of flexible elongated articles, such as, cotton, fabric or plastic lengths of material, such as, fish lines, strings or metallic wires. Moreover, it will be apparent that other types of binding means may be employed utilizing the method and apparatus of the present invention than the heat-scalable tape described. Thus a pressure sensitive tape may be employed without the use of a heating element and where the pressure feet merely would exert the necessary pressure to adhesively secure the tapes together. Furthermore, other binder means may be utilized without necessity of a heat sealing operation simply by replacing the heat sealer assembly with a clamping or stapling device to positively secure the ends of the binder elements together.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that changes in details, structure and system components may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed:

1. Apparatus for winding a continuous length of material into a succession of loops and binding the loops into a packaged article comprising:

a table train assembly including a series of tables each having spaced winding posts thereon, said assembly further including a power transmission train for successively advancing the tables to each of a plurality of working stations along a selected guide path for interrupting advancement of said tables for a predetermined time interval at each station followed by advancement of each table to each next working station in succession,

first binder supply means for continuously applying a first binder over said tables and between said winding posts along the guide path,

material winding means at a first working station for ywinding a fiexible length of material about the winding posts and over the first binder on each table successively advanced into position on the first station, and

second binder supply means for continuously applying a second binder in superimposed relation to said loops and to said first binder as each table is successively advanced from said first working station.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including pressurizing means at a working station along the guide path for securing said first and second binders together with the loops interpositioned between the binders to define a packaged article, and cutter means associated with said pressurizing means for severing each packaged article formed on a table from the article formed on the next adjacent table.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including stripper means for removing each severed article from each table in succession.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each table is provided with a stripper plate movable outwardly along said 4winding posts to selectively remove the packaged article from its respective table, and stripper plate actuating means at a working station following said pressuring means being selectively advanced against said stripper plates to cause outward movement of said stripper plates across said winding posts to remove the packaged article therefrom.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said power transmission unit is operative to advance said tables successively along a downward vertical guide path.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said power transmission unit includes an endless flexible support member and said tables are arranged in equally spaced relation to one another continuously on said support member, said support member being movable throughout a portion of its travel along a vertical guide path, and backing members disposed along the guide path to support said tables for longitudinal advancement along the guide path.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in Iwhich said winding means is characterized by including a rotary feed member circumscribing a generally circular path of movement about the winding posts on each table advanced into position at the first working station, and indexing means being operative to advance each table in succession into position at the first working station within one of the revolutions of said rotary feed member.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second binder elements are drawn into superimposed relation to one another by the advancement of said tables along the guide path.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first and second binder elements are defined by continuous lengths of heat scalable tapes provided with adhesive surfaces aligned in facing relation to one another, and said pressurizing means being defined by a heat sealer assembly reciprocal toward and away from each table in succession advanced into position with said heat se'aler assembly.

10. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said pressurizing means and said severing means are energized t0 sever and bind the articles in close succession to one another while said tables are interrupted in advancement along the guide path for winding the material in loops by said winding means at the first working station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,993 5/ 1961 Bennett 53-204 X 351,584 10/1886 Dixon 53-204 2,271,632 2/1942 Diehl 53-199 X 2,560,205 7/ 1951 Andren 93-369 X 2,715,457 8/1955 Voegezi 53--116 X 2,723,087 1l/1955 Simmons 53-116 X 2,735,250 2/1956 Buddecke 53-116 X 2,835,089 5/1958 Schoos 53-116 3,059,386 10/1962 Vorrath 53-204 X 3,284,982 11/1966 'Conti 53-137 3,315,436 4/1967 Baum 53-200 X 3,387,542 6/1968 Gartner 93-36.9 X 3,421,284 1/1969 Zemek 53-200 X 3,432,985 3/ 1969 Halstead 53--200 X 3,470,794 10/1969 Crane 93-l.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 206,503 1/ 1957 Australia. 623,099 7/ 1961 Canada. 1,193,863 5/1965 Germany.

77548 10/ 1954 Netherlands.

WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

